CHALLENGES OF BLACK POWDER IN GAS LINES – A CASE STUDY

(Speaker) Mohammad Al-Otaibi,

Senior Engr, OTS (Gas) KOC, Kuwait

Dr. Fahad Al-Ghanem, TL OTS (Gas)

Muzaffer Deshmukh, Process Engr

Shaikh Mazharuddin, Safety Engr

Photo of Speaker/Author

Technical Paper No.

ASEAN-19-75

1

Black Powder

.

• Black powder is an industry name for the rough, reactive impurity present in gas and hydrocarbon fluid transmission lines

.

• Black powder ranges from light brown to black, and the minerals varies per production field and consists mainly of Iron oxides, Iron sulfides & Iron carbonates

.

• In addition, the black powder contains varying dirt such as silica and calcium as well as chloride, sodium, and other materials

22

Black Powder Occurrence

Black powder forms throughout the process; through well bores, into gathering lines, in separation facilities, and along transmission pipelines.

The black powder continues to build in the gas plants and refineries and end user storages.

Storage / End User

Gas Plants/

Refineries

Transit Lines

Separation

Facilities

Gathering Lines

Well Bores

33

Black Powder Formation

Iron

(Fe – Pipeline)

Moisture, CO2, O2, S (Fluid)

Black Powder

Micro Bacteria Influenced

Corrosion such as SRB – Sulphate

Reducing Bacteria

Chemical Reaction

It is understood that the Black Powder is formed as a result of chemical / microbial actions

Mud / Sand / Grease

44

Black Powder Impact on Facilities

More Maintenance

Parts Replacement

Damages Pump Seals

Affect Compressor Components

Glycol Foaming

• Attaches to the internal surface of the Pipelines & Equipments

• Financial loss due to Production-cuts, Facility Shutdown, HSE issues - Flaring

Seriously Affects Rotating Equipments

55

Black Powder Impact on Instrumentation

Orifice & Meters

Blockages

Poor Measurem

ent

Valves Stuck

Seals Damage

Black powder damages pump seals, meters, compressors, trays, orifices, and valves

These affects components and instrumentation and lead to flow restrictions as well as faulty readings

66

Black Powder Impact on Pipelines P

IPE

LIN

ES

• Product

Contamination

• Customer Upset

• Flow Reduction

• Corrosion & Erosion

• Blockage

• Integrity

• Leakage Chances

Iron Oxide in the Black Powder is very hard and erode the Pipelines & Valves

The composition of Black Powder depends upon the composition of transported Gas

77

HSE Impacts

• Accelerates Corrosion / Erosion

• Process upsets, impacts downstream operations

• Damages to rotating equipments

• Flaring

• Contaminate (Catalysts, etc) in the downstream

• Lead to Feed reduction / production cuts

Bla

ck

Po

wd

er

• Chocking the Impulse Lines of Instruments

• Pyrophoric - may lead to Fire / Explosion

• Integrity Issue: Affect Inline Inspection (such as Pigging)

88

HSE Impacts

Affect Control Elements, Isolation Valves, PSVs leading to serious impact on Process Control / Safety

Bla

ck

Po

wd

er • Middle East Regions’ O&G fields are facing a critical issue of the

isolation Valve of the Safety Relief Valve.

• Safety relief valves are the critical equipments to any plant.

• Safety relief valves are usually installed with an upstream block valve to facilitate O&M of the safety relief valve.

• The impact of Black Powder on the isolation valve, is impacting the very maintenance of the Safety Relief Valve.

99

Towards the solution…

Complex phenomenon –

Occurrence during Production, Flow

Pathway, Destination

Similar Plants / trains with similar feed had complete different behaviour

Get rid-off – Not yet known

• Comprehensive

solutions /

strategies needed

1010

The Approach

One of our field experience ‘Black Powder Issue’ recently

Task Force Team formed. Adopted – Short Term Measures

• The Task Force Team includes personnel from Operations,

Maintenance, Inspection Corrosion Teams

• The TFT objective was to analyze the Root Cause & Formation as

well as to propose / implement Short Term Solutions

• Rigorous Pigging and Corrosion monitoring were undertaken

TF

T

1111

The Approach

• Fields’ entire Gas Network – taken into consideration for Black Powder

investigation

• Pigging of the lines undertaken and the quantities of Black Powder were recorded

• After one month Pigging carried out and the quantities were again recorded, this

exercise was done for few months

• Special attention paid to stagnant lines and Pigging were scheduled for these lines

• Mothballing of the idle lines have been done

• Rigorous / strict frequent corrosion monitoring undertaken

• Affected lines identified

Pip

elin

es

1212

Black Powder Concentrations

• Network Lines were

monitored for High, Medium

and Low Quantities of Black

Powder every month

• Special attention given to

high Black Powder producing

Lines

1313

Short Term Results

Line SIZE FROM TO Observations

12" GC-XX TR1 Clean

14" GC-XY MF Small Quantity of Black Sludge

16" GC-XX BS Clean

30" BS XTZ Small Quantity - Black - Powder Observed

30" BS GC Small Quantity - Black - Powder Observed

16" EP PA Clean

30" BS PA Clean

40" SC SC-1 Medium Quantity - Black Powder Observed

10" GCX BS Clean

The ‘Short Term Measures’ shows

significant improvements at two

levels;

1. Black Powder Formation -

Reduced

2. Faster Black Powder Removal

from the Network Lines

1414

Recommendations

• Dehydration Units

Efficient Operations along with

controlling the Dew Point to avoid

moisture in the stream

De

hyd

rati

on

, P

igg

ing

&

Mo

thb

all

ing

Following measures to be considered

• Reduce H2S, CO2

Reduction and strict monitoring of

H2S & CO2 shall be undertaken

• Pipeline

Safeguarding

Stagnant Lines to

be pigged and

Mothballing of

unused lines to be

done

1515

Acknowledgements

1616

I thank our Team Leader Operations Technical

Services (Gas) Team Dr. Fahad Al-Ghanem for

motivating us to undertake the subject work.

Thanks and Questions

1717